Tacoma Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Tacoma Community College charges a net price of $8,376/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $16,752. Median earnings ten years after entry are $47,168, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Tacoma Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #34 of 64 Washington colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $8,376/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $16,752 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $47,168 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$1,192/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $13,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$40,592 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Tacoma Community College's own numbers. Net price $8,376 × 2 years = $16,752 total. Median earnings $47,168 fall $1,192 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $16,752 bill in about 1.7 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Tacoma Community College students graduate with?
A median $13,000 in federal loans among completers, or 28% of the $47,168 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Tacoma Community College students graduate?
32% finish their degree — 68% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $16,752 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $52,350 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Tacoma Community College expensive compared with other Washington colleges?
Its $8,376 net price runs $3,651 below the $12,027 median across the 64 Washington colleges we profile, and $7,301 less across the full degree.